The Encounter
by Bravo'sgirl
Summary: Zack helps Max when Lydecker is onto her and leads them both in a hunt to destroy Mantacore. Please R/R
1. Hidden

The Encounter part 1 

                    Zack ran his hand through his short blonde hair as he stood looking at the tall, dark, brick building looming over him in the shadows. Rain fell on the 19-year-olds head and shoulders. He had been standing there for almost an hour and was soaked to the bone. "Damn you Max," He whispered, "why do you have to make this so hard?"

          Zack was just about to walk away when he saw Max coming out of the front door. Zack quickly ducked out of sight. Max pushed her black Ninja motorcycle out into the street. Zack quietly snuck around behind her and ran to the front door of the broken down old building. 

          Zack opened the door and stepped inside. He quickly took the steps 2 at a time up to the 5th floor. Zack had been watching Max for almost 3 months now and even though they had met before he could not let her know that he was here. Zack stood by the door to Max's apartment. He pulled a knife out of his boot and used it to open the door. He silently snuck inside and listened. He focused all his energy on the sounds around him and finally he heard a small beeping noise. Zack followed the noise to Max's bedroom and finally over to her lamp. Zack's hearing returned to normal as he leaned over her lamp and pulled out a tiny black microphone.

          " Another one of Lydeckers little devices, this is the second one this week," Zack muttered, "They must think she is one of the kids but they don't have enough proof. I have to get her out of here soon."

          Zack hurried back outside. As soon as he hit the pavement he dropped the microphone on the pavement and ground it under his heel. Then he put his hands in his pockets, hunched his shoulders and walked down the sidewalk.

          Max rode her motorcycle through the empty streets of Los Angeles. She was not going very fast on her bike so the few cars and cycles that were on the streets passed her with ease. Max had a lot on her mind. She had seen Zack watching her from apartment across the street that day. Max wondered why Zack had come back and how long he had been watching her. After there first meeting Max wondered if she would ever see him but now that she had she was a little scared. Zack had said he looked out for all of the others but Max wondered what reason he had for looking out for her. Max stopped in front of a club with a bright neon sign that read "Neon's the brightest place in the world." 

          Why not," Max muttered getting off her bike, " after all it seems I have a guardian angel right now."

          Max pocketed the keys to her bike and walked in. Laser lights shone on the walls and ceiling, loud rock music played in the background. Max quickly scanned the crowd of about 75. Then she walked to the bar. "A beer," Max yelled to the bartender over the music. 

          The man opened a green bottle and handed it to her. Max took a drink and then looked at her watch. The display said 10:55P.M. Max knew she was going to be there for a little while, all of a sudden Max felt a rough hand on her shoulder. When she turned around she saw 5 of Lydeckers men. " The boss wants you to come with us," The man said. Max suddenly felt a sharp pain in her side and looked down to see a tranquilizer sticking out of her skin. The room began to get blurry and she began to panic. Max stumbled off her stool and into one of the guards. She swung her fist, it connected with the side of his face but all he did was laugh. Suddenly his laughter stopped and he gasped for breath. Max saw the other 4 men fall then she felt a strong arm around her. "Hurry," a familiar voice said.

          Max stumbled to keep up with the young man pulling her. Max was sure she knew him but was to confused to remember where from. Max fell and tried to stand again but the tranquilizer was taking its effect. The man leaned over and picked her up. He kicked open the door and Max was revived by the cool air and light rain on her face. As Max's vision cleared she looked up and saw Zack. She gasped and he set her down. "How did you know I was here," she asked.

          " I saw your cycle here and walked past just as Lydeckers men walked in and I figured that even if you did not need any help it would be a good time to tell you that you life is in grave danger." Zack said worry creasing his perfect face.

          End part 1                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       


	2. Found

The Encounter Part 2

Max looked up at Zack with question showing on her face. "Zack," she said, "what do you mean my life is in danger? Why are you here?"

          Zack looked at the girl. He leaned over and whispered quietly in her ear. "Let me take you to my place so we can talk in private. Lydecker's men will be waking up soon and there is a van over there with Lydecker's symbol on it so lets go."

          Zack hopped on the bike. Max handed him the keys and got on behind him. "Hold on," Zack said. 

          The couple sped off. Zack turned off the main road and began speeding through the back alleyways. Zack stopped the bike in front of an old wooden door. He got off the bike and motioned for Max to be quiet. Zack opened the door and walked up a tall narrow stairway. Max followed the young man. They stopped in front of a heavy metal door. Zack pulled out a set of keys and used 2 keys and 3 combinations to open the door.

"A little paranoid are we," Max asked? Zack smiled and walked inside the room. He turned on the light and moved out of the way to let Max through. Zack locked the door behind them. Max looked around the large square room. A bed and dresser were on the far wall. A fridge and table were to Max's left and there was a sofa in the middle of the room. Zack's motorcycle was leaning against the right wall. "Nice place," Max said impressed at her siblings living conditions. 

          "Thanks," Zack said walking up behind her," I have some friends that own the bar below here. If you want to we can go get some drinks later." 

          Max nodded. " The little manticore siblings has 'friends'. Wow, I thought that stuff was phony sentimentality." Zack and Max laughed together.

          "I've changed Max," Zack began, " but you have to admit Mantacore gave us some good life skills." 

          Max nodded. "Zack," Max said turning instantly serious, "what did you mean, my life is in danger?" 

          "I think Lydecker knows who you are. For the past few weeks I have broken into your apartment and have found 2 microphones in your lamp. Lydecker has not come after you so I think he is not sure if you are one of the kids or not." Zack got up and went over to the window on the far wall. "After what happened..." Zack's voice trailed off.

          " What do you mean? Zack what happened?" Max demanded.

          Zack turned around and Max saw a tear roll down his perfect cheek. "Bryn was captured by Lydeckers men. I tried to save her but she was sick. Lydecker said he could cure her so I let her choose. She chose Mantacore." Zack wiped his eyes and turned back towards the window.

          Max walked over to him. "It's alright. I would have done the same thing. It's not your fault." Max put her hand on his shoulder.

          "Shit Max, it is my fault." Zack said slapping her hand away," Bryn called me before she was captured. She told me Lydecker was close to her so I told her to meet me. When I got there Lydeker already had her. He told me she was sick and I spoke with Bryn for a second to let her chose who to go with. I did not even try to stop him." 

          "Dose Lydecker know who you are?" Max asked. Zack nodded and he began crying again. Max hugged him. "I'd rather die than go back to Mantacore." he muttered under his breath.

          "I have a friend who can help. He can make you disappear." Max offered thinking of Logan.

          " No Max I can't risk putting either of you in danger." Zack said

          " Zack I signed up for danger when I escaped from Mantacore. I have been living in danger day and night for the past 10 years so don't lecture me on danger." Max turned and began to walk away but felt a strong hand on her shoulder. Zack turned her around and before Max could react Zack kissed her hard on the lips. Max pulled away. 

          "Zack we can't you know that it would just make things more complicated."

          "Max I don't care. I have wanted this my whole life. And I want this now more than anything." Zack leaned in to kiss her again but Max dodged and ran out the door.

          Max jumped on her motorcycle and sped away. "Damn it Max. What were you thinking? You have to get control. You know this is not what you want. Zack was just acting on the moment and so were you. The feelings you had are gone now. Or are they?" Max thought to herself. Max felt her beeper go off. She looked at it and then took of to Logan's apartment.


	3. Location, Location, Location

The Encounter Part 3 

          Max arrived at Logan's Apartment and walked slowly up the steps, thinking about what had just happened to her. Max knocked on the door. Bling opened it. "Hey Max what's up?"

          "Nothing much. Is Logan in." Max answered the muscular physical trainer.

          "You bet. Come this way." Bling led Max to Logan's computer room.

          "You buzzed." Max said to the man sitting at the computer desk. 

          Max sat down on a table next to Logan. "Here," the man said, "take a look at this." He handed her a file. Max opened it and saw a large black and white picture sitting on top of the pile. It looked like a large group of metal buildings clustered together surrounded by trees and small hills. Max could not tell anything else about it sense it was taken from the top. "What is this Logan?" Max asked. 

          Logan wheeled around to face her. " That," Logan said, "is Mantacore. The picture was taken one month ago from a satellite. That is Gillett, Wyoming. X5 barracks and training facility and your home sweet home for the first 9 years of your life." Logan rolled out of the room.

          Max sat at the table for nearly 5 minuets. Finally she hopped down and followed Logan into the kitchen. "Logan I have to go there. I found Zack again. He came back and he thinks Lydecker is on my tail."       

          " What! You want to go to a Mantacore base while Lydecker is on your tail. That should be a good enough reason to lay low for a while." 

          "I know Logan and even better yet to lay low in a different state. Nothing will happen I'll bring Zack along. if he is not acting weird again." Max added this part in a nearly inaudible whisper. Logan, of course, picked it up. "What do you mean acting weird." He asked. 

          "Well," Max said," he kissed me." Max felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her but she quickly shook it off. Logan smiled and quickly changed the subject. 

          "That base has been abandoned for nearly 10 years. Sense right after you escaped I think." 

          "Yea you told me about that when I went to look for Hanna." Max said still looking at the picture.

          "Look don't worry about Zack. Just tell him you aren't interested." Logan offered seeing that Max was still preoccupied with the happenings from just a little while ago.

          "It's probably not going to be that easy." Max muttered.

          "Are you hungry? I could fix you something, or maybe get you a glass of wine." Logan suggested.

          "Both sound great Logan thanks."

          Logan sat across from Max watching her eat. "Logan can you get me checkpoint passes and clearance to Gillett?" Max asked.

          "Sure," Logan said, "do you want them for two?" Max nodded.

          "And could you get me some computer equipment so I can download any information I find. If I could find any peace of computer equipment with an un-corrupt hard drive, I could find tons of information. The whole brain of Mantacore was made up of huge computer networks." 

          "Sure," Logan said" I can pull an all nighter and try to find out all the info I can on Mantacore and that base."

          "Thanks Logan. You're the best." Max got up and hugged Logan. "I hate to eat and run but I'm going to get Zack and bring him over here." 

          Max turned and began walking out the door. "Max just be careful." Logan said.

          Max smiled at him and left.        


	4. Please Help

                                                                  The Encounter Part 4

          Max pulled up to Zack's apartment for the second time that night. She got off her bike and walked up the stairs. The door was open a crack like he was waiting for her. Max pushed the door open and stepped inside. Zack was sitting at a table drinking a beer. He motioned her to come and sit by him. "It never happened. I was just under a lot of stress and I just went a little crazy so that kiss never happened," Zack said taking another long drink.

          Max nodded in agreement. "I need to get down to business Zack, I need your help," Max said taking a serious tone to her voice, "I know where the Mantacore base is. The original one where we trained at in Gillett, Wyoming. I want you to come with me and find out anything you can that could help us with what Lydecker wants with us and it could help us evade him in the future."

          Zack sat quietly for a minute slowly sipping his beer and contemplating the information that had just been given to him, than he laughed. "You have to be joking," Zack laughed as another wave of mirth washed over him, "that would be suicide. Going to a military base where killer kids are trained. Think of the artillery, think of the guards, and think of the security system."

          "Goddamn it Zack do you really think I am that stupid?" Max yelled at the boy, "the base has been deserted and it is just a recon mission for now we make no contact until we know the base is empty and void of troops."

          Zack threw his empty beer bottle into the trash. "I don't know if you are stupid or not after all you obviously have let this Logan Cale person influence you," Zack sneered.

          Max glared daggers at the boy and was about to jump him. "You think he influenced me? You are so full of it," Max shouted at him, "I was never influenced but Logan has given me a chance to find out about a past that I want to know about and I thought you might want to find out too. I guess I was wrong. I'll go alone." 

          Max headed towards the door but Zack stopped her with a strong hand on her shoulder. "I'll go with you," he said sheepishly. 

          Zack grabbed his jacket and motorcycle helmet and followed Max down the stairs. Zack hurried and got his bike as Max hopped on hers. Max lead Zack to Logan's apartment building and up to the penthouse apartment. "Here we are," Max said opening the door.

          The two Manticore kids walked through the door of the apartment and to the computer room. Logan was sitting at his computer typing furiously pulling up maps and documents and printing them out just as quickly. "Hey Logan look who I brought," Max said with false cheerfulness.

          Logan turned around and saw Max standing there with Zack leaning against the doorframe looking very uncomfortable. Logan just smiled and went back to his work. "What are these," Max asked looking at some of the maps on his desk. 

          "Maps of the area surrounding the base. Some are satellite some are geographical and some are physical but all of them will help you," Logan said pulling up some lists and printing them off as well.

          Max pulled the sheets of paper off the printer. "And these are?" Max asked reading the list of names, social security numbers, and jobs.

          "Remember how I found Hanna by looking at the lists of workers at Mantacore?" Logan asked. Max just nodded. "That is what these are. Lists of workers, all of them relocated shortly after x-5 escaped."

          "How will that help us any," Zack asked butting in very rudely.

          Logan sighed exasperated at the young man. 

          "If you have any better ideas please give them to us but if not butt out," Max growled.

          Zack took a step forward and leaned over the computer screen and pointed to the maps. "We need to know if they can get in any heavy artillery if we get caught. Are there any runways or water canals, are there any hangers or weapons storage facilities, these are some of the questions we need to answer," Zack said with and edge of calmness and respect in his voice.

          Max just smiled at Logan as they exchanged a silent meaning to each other. They had tamed the wild beast and they both knew it now all they had to do was bring their plan together. Max turned her attention back to the computer screen and began to watch what Zack was doing but in the tiny recesses in her head told her that with Zack on her side she might finally find some answers to a very difficult question.    


	5. Back To basics

The Encounter Part 5 

          Zack slid a clip into his 9mm Glock and slid it back into his holster. Logan had found an old sewer pipe that he and max could use to enter the base. He had also found a highly detailed set of blueprints that included the ventilation system.

          Logan had even been able to contact a friend to get them weapons. Zack inched towards the door of the computer room to listen to the conversation going on inside.

          "Why did you get weapons for us?" Max asked sliding a 38-caliber revolver into a holster on her belt, "I mean Mr. Logan Cale defender of the weak and innocent getting us weapons that are used to kill. I never thought I'd see the day."

          Max was now wearing camouflage BDU's and her curly hair had been straightened and pulled back in a ponytail. "I don't really consider Mantacore soldiers innocent or weak, besides I would do anything to help you find a missing piece of your life." 

          Zack peered around the doorframe and looked into the room. He saw Max bend down and give Logan a slow, sweet kiss on the lips. Logan put his had on the back of her neck and pulled her in closer. Zack quietly left the doorframe and went back into the kitchen to give them a little time alone.

          Zack took off his gun and holster, picked up his motorcycle keys and yelled to Max that he would be back in a few minutes. He heard Max give a muffled goodbye as he left. Zack smiled to himself as he put on his helmet. If he couldn't have Max he at least wanted her to be happy.

          Zack pulled into a gas station and got off his bike and went inside. Zack quickly decided that this was the best place to get supplies that would be open at this time of night. He hurried and bought 2 boxes of granola bars, 2 flashlights, extra batteries, a pack of matches, a box of gauze and some anti-bacterial cream, a bottle of Vodka and a 12 pack of beer. Then he walked to a hardware store across the street and bought 200 feet of rope, a pair of heavy wire cutters and a crowbar. 

          He then stashed everything on his motorcycle and rode around Seattle for about 30 minutes before returning to Logan's apartment. He crept in quietly so he would not disturb them if they were still busy. He put everything in the kitchen then silently walked to the computer room. He looked inside and saw that Max and Logan were still kissing each other heatedly. 

          Zack walked back to the kitchen and opened one of the bottles of beer. "Damn, I hope she's not in heat," Zack muttered to himself. 

          As if on cue Max walked into the room. Her skin was a little flushed and Zack could tell that her lips were a little swollen but besides that she looked normal. 

          She walked over to the fridge, grabbed a beer and sat across from Zack. "I just talked to Logan and it looks like we'll have to walk because every single route from here to Gillett has 3 or 4 checkpoints, way to many for us to go through. Even with sector passes 2 kids carrying guns will pose a slight question."

          "No problem," Zack said drinking his beer, "if we travel fairly hard then we can get there in 3 days and we might even be able to hitch a ride or 2 on the way."

          "So when do we leave?" Max asked chewing on her lower lip with a dreamy look in her eye as if she could still taste Logan.

          "Tomorrow morning at 6:00," Zack said discarding his empty beer bottle in the trashcan, "I'm a little tired so do you think you can help Logan get everything ready?"

          Zack saw max nod as he walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. He pulled his Glock out of the holster and put it under the sofa cushion he was using as a pillow. He grabbed a blanket off the back of the sofa and lay down. He was asleep almost instantly dreaming about the mission. 

Zack had just enough time to register disgust at himself before he fell asleep. He felt like a soldier, a Mantacore soldier           


	6. Home Sweet home

  The encounter part 6

    Zack and Max crawled through the dark woods on their stomachs. Their clothing and hair were wet from a recent rain shower and the forest was covered in a hazy fog.

    Max and Zack were glad of both, the rain made the ground and the fallen leaves wet so they made no sound when walked over. The fog obscured the X-5s from the soldiers' view but not the soldiers from the X-5s' view.

    Zack put his hand up for max to stop and she obliged. He quickly stood up and rushed into the fog-shrouded forest. The trees quickly obscured him from Max's view but in less then a minute he was back. He quietly lay down on his stomach beside her. "Mantacore is about 500 feet straight ahead. I have not seen any soldiers but I say we scout the perimeter fence for about 4 hours to see if we find anything."

    Max stared into the forest and shivered as is if she could feel the evil of Mantacore. "Where is the perimeter fence?" Max asked wiping sweat off her brow despite the cool weather. 

    "About 200 feet straight ahead."

    Max closed her eyes and dreamed of being back in Seattle. It was hard for her to imagine that just 48 hours ago she had been kissing Logan goodbye and he had given her a small bag of computer equipment. She even remembered their conversation. 

    "Are you sure you want to do this?" he had asked her.

    "No," Max had responded taking the bag, "but I'm sure I want answers so I have to do this."

    Logan had pulled her close to him and kissed her longingly. "Be careful," he had said breaking their embrace.

    "I always am," Max had said leaving with tears in her eyes.

    "Max," Zack said pulling her out of her trance.

    "What?" she said and edge of anger in her voice.

    "Come on. If we hurry we can be out of here in 6 hours and back in Seattle by tomorrow."

    That comment gave Max renewed energy as the two kids took off towards the perimeter fence. For the next 4 hours Max and Zack patrolled the fence. Max had seen 2 guards standing by the main entrance and luckily she had overheard their conversation.

    "What in the hell are we doing here?" the youngest one had asked.

    "Guarding the base, although I don't know how Lydecker expects us to guard it with only 10 guards and no security system." 

    The younger man had shrugged and his CO had sent him back off to his duties. 

    Max had hurried to tell Zack the good news. "Okay," Zack had said when Max had told him, "there is no real way to form a plan without the proper information so I say we just jump the fence and wing it."

    Max smiled at his relaxed spirit. "Okay then lets go," Max said crouching poised to jump.

    "Wait," Zack had hissed at her. Max turned to him with a questioning look on her face. "Lets try the back door," he said turning away and walking. Max followed looking sheepish.

    When they reached the back of Mantacore they both silently jumped the tall fence topped with sharp razor wire rusting from years without care.

    Max circled the building to her left and Zack to his right. The both snuck up behind the guards and Zack slammed their heads together. The both collapsed to the ground in a heap.

    Zack was picking up the soldiers weapon but Max handed him hers. "I'm not planning on using it," Max said answering his unasked question.

    Zack nodded, he had gotten used to Max not using weapons, probably because of the death of Eva. Zack pulled the M-16 off his arm and laid it on the ground. "Then we fight together," he said but Max had noticed that he kept his Glock on his waist.

    Max kicked open the front door and the two ran down the hallway. As they turned the corner they stopped short and stared into 6 m-16 barrels.        


	7. Answers Found

                The Encounter part 7 

    Damnit," Zack mumbled under his breath.

"Radio headquarters," one of the soldiers said, "tell them that we have apprehended the rogue X-5s that Colonel Lydecker had been looking for."

    Max heard a soldier relay the message on a walkie-talkie. "ETA 4 hours, sir."

    "Good. Take them below and someone disarm him."

    A young soldier stepped foreword and grabbed Zack's gun. Zack was too quick for him. Zack grabbed the young man by the neck and Max heard a cracking of bone as Zack wrenched the man's arm around behind him and broke his shoulder.

    Max wasted no time as she jumped over the astounded soldiers. She slammed two of their heads together. As she did so she heard a gunshot and Zack let out a yell of pain. Max quickly took out the remaining soldiers.

    She saw Zack leaning up against the wall holding his arm, blood flowed in-between his fingers and down his wounded arm.

    "Zack are you okay?" Max asked ripping the sleeve off one of the knocked out guards and helped him tie it around his arm.

    "I've been better," Zack said grimacing as Max tied, "but then I've been worse."

    Max smiled as she helped Zack to the mainframe computer. Max reached the heavy steel door and tried to open it. "Damn," she whispered, "it's locked,"

    Zack pulled a screwdriver out of his backpack and handed it to her. Max quickly and quietly took off the hinges and with Zack's help she picked up the heavy door and propped it against the opposite wall.

    Max and Zack hurried into the large computer room. Max pulled the small laptop out of the black bag on her shoulder. Zack sat down at the computer and started powering up the systems as Max plugged the laptop into the motherboard of the main computer. Max sat down at one of the computers next to Zack. "Okay we have one hour," Zack said checking his watch.

    Max nodded and helped Zack upload files onto the computer. In one hour they had uploaded hundreds of files and had filled 20 disks. They had uploaded videos, lists, research, schedules, and information on the X-5s.

    "Lets go now," Zack said picking up the laptop.

    Zack and Max both hurried out of the building, hopped over the fence, and ran into the woods. Max stopped and turned around and stared at Mantacore just as 4 black jeeps drove up to the compound. "Damn Max, lets get the Hell out of her," Zack whispered grabbing her by the arm and trying to pull her back into the woods.

     Max shrugged him off and pulled a grenade from the pouch at her hip. Lydecker stepped out from one of the jeeps and went into the building.

    10 minutes later he stormed out and started walking towards the perimeter fence. "You can't hide from me. Max, Zack I know you are out there. As long as I am alive I will hunt you," Lydecker yelled into the woods

    Max pulled the pin on the grenade and threw it right at Lydecker's feet. "Then it's time to die," Max yelled.

    The weapon went off with a deafening boom. Pieces of jeep, Mantacore and human flew about. A tire even landed a few feet from where Max and Zack stood.

    "Damn girl, I knew you could kick ass," Zack said putting a brotherly hand on her shoulder.

    "Well that was one ass that deserved to be kicked."

    Max and Zack turned away from the burning jeeps and walked leisurely back to Seattle.           


	8. Almost Normal

                       The Encounter Epilogue

    Max wrapped her arms around Logan's neck and gave him a slow, sweet kiss. When the kiss was over Logan pulled back and looked into Max's eyes. "What was that for?" he asked running a hand through her hair.

    "I just wanted to thank you for giving me my life back," Max said kissing him again.

    "Well if this is how you are going to repay me, remind me to help you out even more often," Logan said with a wolfish grin on his face.

    Max leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. Logan truly saw how tired she was at that point. Zack and Max had retuned from Gillette a week ago and neither of them had slept yet. Zack had gone home that afternoon but Max had stayed up for hours sorting through the Mantacore data they had found.

    Logan knew that his had to be emotionally and physically draining. The kids had spent 5 days checking out lists of employees, techs, and supplies issued. They had both just gotten up the nerve to check out about an hour of the 53 hours of video feed. 

    It showed the birth of the X-5s. All of the mothers had their face hidden. They had found out that all of the X-5s had been born within 6 months of each other but some of the kids had aged a little more quickly at a young age then the others due to the mixture of DNA. When Max and Zack were watching the birth Logan looked into the computer room, tears were running down their faces.

    Logan laid Max down on the sofa and covered her up then he turned and wheeled into the computer room and opened a group of files, information that he had saved on Mantacore when he was helping Max find the others, and saved it onto one of the disks that Max and Zack had been using.

    Logan did a quick Eyes Only broadcast to alert the Police about a recent drug smuggling ring involving a businessman that gave lots of money to the Seattle PD. Logan had decided not to bother Max about Eyes Only for a little while or to kick the kids off the computer so he could broadcast.

    Logan heard Max stirring on the sofa so he went into the kitchen and made a nice breakfast. About 5 minutes after he had started cooking Max came into the kitchen stretching her arms high above her head. "Yum, something smells good," Max commented sitting down on one of the bar stools.

    Logan set a glass of orange juice on the counter in front of her. "Thanks, I thought you might enjoy it." 

    Logan laid two plates of pancakes and a bottle of syrup on the table. Logan slid into the space next to Max.

    "I went to your apartment and Original Cindy gave me some clothing and stuff for you. I told her that your brother was in town and you all were going to hang out. She's holding down your job for you."

    "Thanks Logan. I'll probably stay over here for about a week longer and then get out of your hair," Max said.

    "You can stay in my hair as long as you want,' Logan said smiling.

    Max and Logan finished eating then Max went to take a shower and get changed. Logan was cleaning up when he heard a knock on the door. Logan quickly wheeled to answer it. Zack was standing there with two people about the same age that he was.

    The boy was taller then Zack with light brown hair spiked up, his jaw had a firm set and his eyes were 2 pieces of blue ice.

    The girl was about Max's height with blonde hair and green eyes. She was wearing a sleeveless shirt and her arms were veined with muscle. Logan could tell they were X-5's.

    "This is Syl and Zane. We've come to see Max," Zack said following Logan into the Kitchen.

    "Max is busy right now but she should be out in about an hour."

     "Thanks. I'm going to show them the video okay." Logan nodded and waved him out of the kitchen.

    About 45 minutes later Max walked out of Logan's room. "You have friends waiting for you in the computer room," Logan said following Max as she started to walk towards the computer room.

    He heard Max let out a shriek of joy as she saw Syl and Zane. Logan peered into the computer room. Zack, Zane, Syl and Max were all smiling and talking. 

    Logan knew hat the pieces of Max's life were slowly falling into place. Everything would be alright tomorrow.         


End file.
